Endless printing ribbon



Aug. 12, 1969 w. PLOEGER. JR 3,460,656

ENDLESS PRINTING RIBBON Filed March 6, 1968 INVENTOR WALTER PLOEGER, JR.

ATTORNEYS United States Patent U.S. Cl. 1Q7172 4 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE Endless printing ribbons are disclosed with a permanent ravelproof 180 degree twist in the ribbon for increased structural life and increased ink life.

Endless printing ribbons are known. For example, see US. Patents 2,793,153 and 3,086,901. Endless printing ribbons are used on a variety of machines, such as certain teletype machines, price tag printing machines, cash registers, time recording machines, stenographic machines, etc. Heretofore, endless printing ribbons were made from tape having its ends welded as per Patent 3,086,901 or from tubes which are cut transversely to form the ribbons.

The ribbons of the present invention have increased structural life and increased ink life due primarily to the 180 degree twist as Well as improved ink consistency. The 180 degree twist is permanently built into the ribbon as to be ravelproof. On every cycle of the ribbon, alternate sides thereof will be exposed to the type face. The 180 degree twist is a gentle or graceful twist so as to extend over a substantial length of the ribbon and as a result thereof does not interfere with the cycling mechanism in the machines.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a novel endless printing ribbon having a 180 degree twist to the ribbon.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a novel endless printing ribbon having increased structural life, increased ink life, as well as improved ink consistency.

Other objects will appear hereinafter.

For the purpose of illustrating the invention there is shown in the drawing forms which are presently preferred.

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of a preferred embodiment of the endless printing ribbon of the present invention.

FIGURE 2 is a sectional view taken along the line 2-2 of FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 3 is a perspective view of another embodiment of the present invention.

FIGURE 4 is a sectional view taken along the line 4-4 in FIGURE 3.

FIGURE 5 is a sectional view taken along the line 5--5 in FIGURE 3.

Referring to the drawing in detail, wherein like numerals indicate like elements, there is shown in FIGURE 1 an endless printing ribbon designated generally as 10. Ribbon is provided with a 180 degree twist 12. Twist 12 extends over a substantial length of the ribbon 10 so that the ribbon 10 can pass around guide posts during cycling within the printing machine without interfering with the same. Because of the twist 12, the ribbon 10 will have its opposite faces alternatively exposed to the type face. Printing machines which utilize endless ribbons normally have an inking fountain which periodically re-inks the ribbon.

The opposite sides of the ribbon 10 are alternately exposed to the type face and the inking fountain. As a result thereof, the ink life and structural life are increased. Structural life is increased since the opposite sides of the ribbon 10 contact the type face, whereby each side absorbs one-half the pounding which is normally absorbed by a single side of the ribbon 10.

Heretofore, inked ribbons wasted ink due to the fact that ink was present adjacent the surface which is remote from the paper in amounts which are insufiicient to flow by capillary action to the opposite surface of the ribbon. Because of the degree twist, this ink can now be utilized for printing. Further, the 180 degree twist will result in both surfaces of the ribbon 10 being alternately inked by contact with the ink fountain thereby providing improved consistency.

The ribbon 10 is preferably made from a flexible Woven thermoplastic fabric such as nylon, having a thickness of about .004 inch. The width of the ribbon 10 can be varied as desired. Most printing machines use a ribbon having a width of one-half inch. Ribbon 10 may be made from elongated tape as disclosed in US. Patent 3,086,901. When made as per said patent, the tape is twisted to form twist 12 before making the butt-weld joint 14. Hence, twist 12 is permanent and ravelproof. Joint 14 is on a bias of approximately 45 degrees and contains ink due to the fact that the ribbon 10 was pre-inked before joint 14 was made. Joint 14 lies in the plane of the ribbon 10 so as not to interfere with smooth operation of the printing machine.

In FIGURES 3-5, there is disclosed another embodiment of the present invention designated generally as 20. Ribbon 20 has a 180 degree twist 22 as described above and may be made in the same manner so as to have a butt- Weld joint 2.4 on a bias of approximately 45 degrees. Ribbon 20 includes a first layer of fabric 26 spaced from a second layer of fabric 28 by a layer of film 30. Layers 26 and 28 are joined to layer 30 only by a weld 32 along the extreme edges of said layers 26 and 28. The welds 32 only afiect the last thread along the edges of layers 26 and 28.

Layers 26 and 28 are made from the same material as ribbon 10. Layer 30 is a flexible, pliable layer of inked impervious, tough, thermoplastic film. I prefer to make layer 30 from nylon film having a thickness of about .0005 to .0010 inch. Substantially more ink may be applied to ribbon 20 due to the fact that a reservoir will exist between each fabric layer 26 and 28 and the film layer 30 without causing puddling. Puddling occurs when the ribbon is inked to excess so that blurred images are transferred when the ribbon is contacted by type face.

Since layers 26 and 28 are alternately exposed to the type face, the life of the ribbon 20 is substantially increased. Since each layer 26 and 28 is :a separate entity having its own reservoir, ink life of the ribbon 20 is substantially greater than expected. Layer 30 is thin enough so as not to affect the transfer of the image on the type face. Ribbon 20 otherwise has the attributes of ribbon 10.

Each of the ribbons 10 and 20 have a sealed edge of fused nylon in addition to having the configuration of a Mobius strip. In ribbon 10 the fused seal which is less than the thickness of a thread is attained by slitting the ribbon from a bolt by use of a heated rotating knife. In ribbon 20 the edge seal is attained by weld 32. Weld 32 is attained by simultaneously slitting layers 26, 28 and 30 with a heated rotating knife. The edge seal makes the ribbons leakproof at their edges and in the case of ribbon 20 it also maintains the layers in assembled relationship.

It is claimed:

1. An endless printing ribbon having the configuration of a Mobius strip so that alternate sides of the ribbon may be exposed to contact with type face, said ribbon including a layer of inked, woven, flexible, nylon fabric having a butt-welded joint on a bias across its width and having sealed edges.

2. A ribbon in accordance with claim 1 including a second layer of inked, woven, flexible, nylon fabric separated from the first layer by a thin flexible layer of tough ink- 3 4 impervious nylon film, with only the extreme edges of 2,728,439 12/1955 Murphy et a1. said fabric layers being joined to said film layer by a weld. 2,793,153 5/ 1957 Grundel.

3. A ribbon in accordance with claim 2 wherein the 2,830,689 4/1958 Clancy et a1. film has a thickness which is less than one-half the thick- 3,086,901 4/ 1963 lPloeger. ness of the first fabric layer. r 3,156,338 11/ 1964 Ploeger. 4. A ribbon in accordance with claim 3 wherein the 0 3,273,686 9/1966 Ploeger. butt-weld lies in the plane of the ribbon. 3,274,039 9/1966 Ploeger.

References Cited ERNEST T. WRIGHT, JR., Primary Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 10 US CL XR. 785,709 3/1905 Burridge. 197-168 1,742,093 12/1929 Paradise. 

